Ontario Central

The CARP/Zoomer Discount for
Ontario Central is back!

Due to some reorganization at CARP our link was not operational and so removed from the website.

We are pleased to advise you that CARP has introduced a new process to simplify applications and renewals for the discounted bundle with our own direct link no need for special discount codes. We can now purchase or renew a 1 year combo membership at the discounted rate of $20.00 compared to the regular $29.95 rate which is a 33% discount. You also have the option of selecting only the CARP membership or the Zoomer magazine for $15 each if you don’t want one or the other.

See Eleanor Marshall at our November 14th Meeting

September 26th, 2018

On November 14th, Eleanor Marshall will give the keynote address for Bell Canada. This will be her first appearance at an Ontario Central Membership Meeting. As the VP of Pension & Benefits and Assistant Treasurer, Eleanor is the key player on the Bell side from a BPG perspective. She has made positive changes since coming into this role and an engaging speaker. Eleanor’s impressive bio follows.

See Kerry Arbour at our November 7th meeting.

September 26th, 2018

We are pleased to have Kerry Arbour present the Bell Canada update at our Mississauga Meeting on November 7th. Kerry is a very passionate speaker, as we can attest from previous BPG Membership Meetings. He is also a supporter of BPG and a man of his word, quick to follow up on membership questions and issues. Find out more about Kerry’s inspiring career and contributions outside of work from his bio below.

UPDATE ON CLASS ACTION REGARDING 2017 PENSION INDEXATION

July 19th, 2018

Update

May 16 2018 AGM Presentations

May 23rd, 2018

Since many of our members are unable to attend the Annual General Meeting or the Barrie meeting we are pleased to provide a video of the President’s Message as well as the various presentations made at the AGM. Of course it’s no substitute for being there but given our geographic footprint we hope that our members can have an opportunity to read and listen to the messages.

Ontario Election Analysis

May 29th, 2018

“The Canadian Federation of Pensioners of which BPG is a member has analyzed the platform of the parties for the upcoming Ontario Provincial Election with a focus on the impact on pensioners. The articles have been reviewed and edited by our own Pension Committee. This is provided for information purposes as one element of the factors that will go into your own personal decision. It is not an endorsement of any specific party or platform. Note that only the BCE plan is affected by Ontario regulations however the Ontario legislation as do other provincial legislation may affect future direction of Federal legislation that impacts the Bell Pension Plan which covers the majority of our members.”

Telco Community Volunteers

May 9th, 2018

Telco Community Volunteers

Located in Brampton, Mississauga, Oakville, Scarborough and Toronto, the clubs organize various activities, including member meetings, cultural and touristic outings, and volunteerism. Info: www.telcocommunityvolunteers.com.

Understanding Your Pension ?

April 11th, 2018

Understanding Your Pension ?

BPG is a volunteer organization and as such we often get questions from members about our pension plan. After much consideration our team has put together a document that details everything a member should know about their Bell pension.

Help Support Bill C-384

April 4th, 2018

Help Support Bill C-384

You know we have been fighting hard to ensure pensions are protected in insolvency. You don’t need to be reminded of how Nortel and Sears pensioners saw significant reductions in their pensions.

Scott Duvall (NDP MP for Hamilton Mountain) has authored Bill C-384 which reflects BPG’s position: Any deficit in the funding of defined benefit pension plans when companies are insolvent should be classed as “super-priority” so that those deferred wages (pensions) can be fully paid out.

Facebook in the news

March 27th, 2018

One week ago, we launched the Ontario Facebook page with great success. Since then, we have had 2,859 page views, 793 followers and 698 total likes which is absolutely fabulous. Two people have expressed reservations as it is their preference not to use any Social Media sites.

In light of the recent breach and exploitation of data from Facebook, the following article and links provide information about Facebook and the various features. Hopefully, this information would allow users to make better use of the site and also protect themselves by making informed decisions of what should and should not be posted, thereby keeping your personal information private.

We need your help for the Day of Action February 21 2018

January 31st, 2018

BPG, with your support, has been active in advocating for pension security in front of the federal and provincial governments. Canada’s legislative and regulatory framework for pension protection is weak when compared to many other developed nations.

Bell Annual Pension and Benefit Statement

January 30th, 2018

To all BPG Pension holders this note is to advise you that Bell has sent out your annual personalized pension and benefits statement. You may have received the document already or you should receive it in the mail shortly.

Thanks Cathy

October 27th, 2017

Thank You, Cathy

A huge “Thank You” from all of us to Cathy Vendramin, who has stepped down after 4+ years on the BPG Ontario Central Board. Cathy held several positions – Secretary, Sustainability member and Recruiting Committee member. Her years of experience and networking from her days in Bell HR served us well. And her enthusiasm and energy inspired us to explore new ideas. We wish Cathy the very best for the future.

Cathy’s “Bio” was published in the Fall 2017 Newsletter.

We would love to hear from anyone wishing to volunteer to be the next Secretary on the Board, or indeed, volunteer in any other capacity. Please email camietangchang@gmail.com.

Sears Pension Situation

October 26th, 2017

The current Sears situation should be a wakeup call to everyone on a Defined Benefit pension as it seems likely that Sears pensioners will not see their full pensions paid due to the ongoing pension deficit of the Sears plan. Here is a link to a recent radio show on the CBC that explains why we should all be concerned.

Mississauga Meeting Date Changed to November 9th

October 17th, 2017

IMPORTANT = The Mississauga Meeting Date has Changed to November 9th.

We have just been advised that due to construction delays at the Burnhamthorpe Community Centre the meeting date has been changed from November 2 to November 9th. Please adjust your plans accordingly. We apologise for this inconvenience.

Investment Advice

October 11th, 2017

Through our involvement with the Ontario Securities Commission we now have access to a number of their resources and for those members interested here is a helpful link to Investment Advice https://www.getsmarteraboutmoney.ca/

InTouch Now Available

August 11th, 2017

Carol Ann Cole

August 10th, 2017

Carol Ann Cole has been a long-time supporter of BPG serving on our Board of Directors and supporting BPG in numerous ways including encouraging former staff to join. As we share the news of Carol Ann’s first novel we wanted to also acknowledge her contributions to BPG and in other ways as well.

Pensions are Contracts Too!

August 6th, 2017

Thanks to CARP for this following recent article which provides and excellent reason to be a mamber fof the Bell Pensioners Group.

Every day, businesses make decisions: expand or retract, rent or buy, fix purchase prices or take their chances on the open market. For better or worse, once they’ve made decisions, and signed contracts, they’re locked in. Our laws and law courts make it so – and with good reason. If businesses could walk away from their contractual obligations, chaos would rein, and our economy would literally collapse.

Unfortunately, there appears to be one notable exception to this rule. When it comes to employees and their pensions, businesses have been all too ready to walk away from pension commitments, and out courts have been all too willing to let them.

Members Needed

August 5th, 2017

Thank you for your continued support of BPG, and in particular the Ontario Central Chapter - your membership is vital to our success. And thanks for receiving your communications electronically - our annual dues have remained unchanged at $20 for over 20 years thanks to the widespread use of emails for communication.

InTouch

August 5th, 2017

Protect Your Money

June 3rd, 2017

The following is a summary of a presentation made at our 2017 AGM and this excellent presentation will be repeated in Barrie, Oshawa and Mississauga so if you missed it the first time we really encourage you to attend this presentation at one of these upcoming events.